Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-23
The Virginia oyster and Fish In
IereSiS.

10 the Euifor If tic Dispatch:
| notice in the Semi UccHg D;s-
Patch Of October 18th a communic}-
ton from Hon. Marshall McDOnald,
Fish Commissioner OF Virginia, to his
Excellcncy Governor Lee on the sub
ject OF establishing stations at some
point on the Chesapeake bay for the
purpose Of developing fish and oyster
culture on q scientific basis.
There IS no subject of greater i'm
ro1iance to the people of Tidewater
Virginia than orr fishing grounds and
oyster-beds, and there is no fact more
universally recognized by all men prlc-
tically engaged in the working Of these
industries than that our most valuable
fishes are growing sclrcer each year,
and that our oyster-5eds are being
rapidly depleted. Under the fostering
influence Of wise State laws, and with
insignificant appropriations the States
bordering the Long-Island sound have
converted their once-sterile and practl
cally-yalue.css water-bottOms into fruit
ul territory, much more profitable to
| the cystermen and, Indirectly, to the
State. than their most fertile farm lands
! To the farmer. 1t was but a complrl-
lively short time ago when the Chesa-
peake bay was supposed 10 contain an
IncXhaustiGlc treasure III the bosom OF
her waters, whence for centuries TO
come her people might draw. and the
| suppositiOn might not have been unrea-
| sonable had the draft on her resources
been conducted with discretion and Il
| knowledge of the natural laws OF oyster
formation and growth. But afew years
| AGO and her waters were white with
myriad sail, and from many States,
| owing profitable occupation to an i'm
| monse army of men, women. and
| cnild1on. To-day it does not pay the
arcdcor to license. and the tongmen
| gltheticaliv lament that their "occu-
pation is gone.
Eut am glad to shy that through the
intelligent aud energetic researches OF
colonel Mcdonald, Professors Brooks
| and kydcr. and others, and verified by
,he everyday experiences OF men en-
cuged in growing oysters something OF
he necessities OF oyster reproduction Is
understood, and il needs but the stlmu-
JUS of sympathetic and substantial CO.
operation of the state to restore these
oi1ete bottoms to their primitive value,
and to cause the waters of our Com
monwealth to TEEN again with the food
| fishes peculiar to our latitude.
We heartily endorse the views oil
Co'oncl Mcdonald on the importance
If the work looking to the more tho
misunderstanding of this momentum:
subject to the end that the resources Of
the State may not die OF inanition, and
we hope the Governor will cheerlully
recommend. and the next Assembly
enact, such "ways and means a
viii give new lie and energy tC
these once great but now lanSuishinc
industries. The small appropriation
| If $1,000, together with such materia
co.operatlon as will be given by tn'
United States Commissioner OF Flshe
lies, will pat upon working basis al
establishment OF incalculable value {.
tie oystermcn and fishermen, and o
necessity to thS State. What gold wa
to California, silver to Nevada, and dia
monds to Australia, so are the oyster
and fish to Virginia. and with this ma
teIial difference in our favor, when tn
gold and silver and precious stones ar
exhausted, there can be no reprodnc
ton. BY Wise legislative enactment'
based upon a knowledge of the natura
laws governing oyster and fish culture
and proper discrimination as to Tn
manner and time of taking them, on
Treasury can he made to increase an
multiply.
These experimental stations must b
The alembic, and scientic research To
alchemy, to convert Virginias large al
lotment of base metals to pure gold. |
Virginia is just to her people and gen
erous to herself she will give these IL
dustries her fostering care.
JONI I. WILKINS, JR., NJ. d.